Oklahoma’s 2025 approved legislative interim studies for education

“Interim studies are a vital part of the legislative process,” Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle) said in a July news release. “These studies allow us to engage with subject matter experts, agency officials, industry leaders and everyday Oklahomans to gather a full range of perspectives.”

According to House Speaker Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow), the House interim study period will conclude on Nov. 6. According to Paxton, the Senate interim study period will close by Oct. 31. Study schedules and meeting notices will be posted on each chamber’s website.

All scheduled hearings are open to the public and livestreamed on each chamber’s website.

The following is a list of approved interim studies as they appear on the Senate and House websites. While these studies have been approved, they must be scheduled at the discretion of their committee's chair to be heard.

Senate Education Committee:

1. Putting Kids First in Oklahoma School Report Card: Sen. Mary Boren (D-Norman). “How current A-F report card impact[s] learning in Oklahoma and consider reforms to report card to improve students’ achievement.”
2. Parent Bill of Rights: Boren. “Study best practices of schools in notifying parents of their statutory bill of rights and implementing the parental rights in board policy.”
3. Chris’s Law: Sen. Avery Frix (R-Muskogee). “Seeks to examine the need for statewide policies to support students grieving the loss of a loved one. … Chris’s Law would ensure students receive a structured, temporary academic relief and mental health support following a traumatic loss.”
4. Accountability and Transparency in Oklahoma’s School Choice Programs: Sen. Carri Hicks (D-Oklahoma City). “Evaluate the effectiveness, fiscal impact and implementation of Oklahoma’s school choice initiatives, including voucher programs.”
5. Protecting Student Access and Accountability: Hicks. Closing Loopholes in Transcript Release at For-Profit Colleges. “Will evaluate current policies allowing for-profit institutions to withhold academic transcripts and identify loopholes that hinder student access.”
6. School Choice Tax Credit: Sen. Darcy Jech (R-Kingfisher). “Follow up on the school choice tax credit.”
7. Factors of Absenteeism in Oklahoma Schools: Sen. Nikki Nice (D-Oklahoma City). “Examine the root causes of student absenteeism in Oklahoma’s public schools and identify effective, fiscally responsible strategies for improving attendance.”
8. Should Home Schoolers be removed from private School funding Yes, or No?: Sen. Dana Prieto (R-Tulsa). “Taking a look from both sides [:] people who want all funding to home schoolers out and people who say we should keep them in the equation.”
9. School Nutrition: Sen. Adam Pugh (R-Edmond). “Analysis of money going in from the school lunch program. Look for ways to localize food sources and ways to make school lunch program more nutritious.”
10. Flex Benefit Allowance: Pugh. “Analysis [of] the cost of the FBA for teachers — what is making it increase?”
11. Healthy Meals for Oklahoma Kids: Sen. Aaron Reinhardt (R-Jenks). “A [study] examining the benefits and costs of universal healthy meals for all of Oklahoma’s kids attending public schools.”

House Common Education Committee:

1. Strengthening School Safety in Oklahoma: Rep. Rick West (R- Heavener). “To protect every Oklahoma student’s right to a safe, secure and stable learning environment by providing dedicated, professional and compassionate law enforcement presence within our schools. The study will explore the potential of having law enforcement officers assigned exclusively to school campuses year-round, integrated into school communities and trained specifically in youth safety and crisis response.”
2. Improving Chronic Absenteeism: Rep. Ellen Pogemiller (D-Oklahoma City). “Explore the issue of chronic absenteeism in Oklahoma’s public schools. While the Oklahoma School Report Card will no longer use chronic absenteeism as a core accountability metric, schools can still earn bonus points for demonstrating improvement in student attendance. The study will focus on identifying the root causes of chronic absenteeism. … It will also highlight effective strategies and community-based efforts currently underway in Oklahoma to support students and improve attendance.”
3. High School Grade Level Classification Based on Earned Credits: Rep. Michelle McCane (D-Tulsa). “This study would examine current practices for high school grade classification across Oklahoma districts and [evaluate] whether standardization is needed. The study would analyze existing credit-based vs. age-based classification systems used by urban and rural districts.”
4. Education Reading Readiness: Rep. Aletia Timmons (D-Oklahoma City). “Expand upon the information necessary for implementation of ideas, legislation and appropriations in education.”
5. Third Grade Promotion and Literacy Requirement: Rep. Rob Hall (R-Oklahoma City). “Will explore the implementation of a policy to retain students in the grade levels focused on literacy (K-3) until they have mastered essential literacy skills. In addition, the study will explore auxiliary interventions and support provided in grades K-3 to ensure students have ample opportunity to successfully master those skills and promote out of third grade.”
6. High School Program/Vanguard: Rep. Ross Ford (R-Broken Arrow). “New approach for STEM students.”
7. Student Communication: Rep. Danny Sterling (R-Tecumseh). “Reviewing the impact of cumbersome restricted communication on adult students and student safety at extracurricular activities.”
8. Review and Analysis of OSSAA Rule 24 (“Link Rule”) Implementation and Status: Rep. Nicole Miller (R-Edmond). “Examine the implementation and ongoing review of OSSAA Rule 24, commonly referred to as the ‘Link Rule.’ It will consider the rule in relation to Senate Bill 783, the Open Transfer law, and existing Oklahoma statutes that govern student mobility and participation in public school extracurricular activities. Specifically, the study will examine whether the application of Rule 24 imposes penalties that inhibit a student athlete’s ability to transfer schools without eligibility restrictions, and any potential conflicts with the intent of SB 783. In addition, the study will explore broader issues related to the governance and usage of school athletic facilities.”
9. Reintegrating student into the classroom when those students were previously removed due to violence against someone in the school environment: Rep. Andy Fugate (D-Del City), Rep. Ronny Johns (R-Ada), Rep. Melissa Provenzano (D-Tulsa), Sen. Brenda Stanley (R-Midwest City), Sen. Mark Mann (D-Oklahoma City), approved joint with Senate. “This study examines the challenges public schools face when reintegrating students into the classroom after their removal due to violence or threatening behavior against a member of the school community. … How do we provide an equitable learning experience for students once they are no longer justice-involved?”

House Postsecondary Education Committee:

1. Deep Dive on Meeting Career Tech Needs: Rep. Mike Lay (R-Tulsa). “Currently 65% of our potential workforce is leaving high school without plans to attend higher education. Career Tech reports a backlog of over 7,000 prospective students while only 4% of all education funding is directed toward this large segment that makes up two thirds of our state’s available workforce. This study would aim to better understand how the current resources are deployed and how to improve their impact.”
2. Workforce Needs for Oklahoma’s Future: Rep. Brian Hill (R-Mustang). “Focus on Oklahoma’s current workforce challenges and the opportunities ahead, in order to determine future needs and policy solutions for the state.”
3. Return on Investment of Post-Secondary Educational Opportunities in Rural Oklahoma: Rep. Toni Hasenback (R-Elgin). “To explore how post-secondary education systems impact rural Oklahoma’s workforce.”
4. Workforce System Reform: Rep. Chris Banning (R-Bixby). “There are many institutions that do workforce services across the state. One measure of success for the leaders of these institutions should be closer partnership in service delivery that drive better outcomes for the economy. Another should be less duplication/waste as a result of braided programs and funding. Once we have a design put together, we would like the legislature to look at it closely so they can understand how to best support this work moving forward.”

House Education Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee:

1. Concurrent Enrollment: Rep. Chad Caldwell (R-Enid). “Reviewing concurrent enrollment systems in Oklahoma and other states.”
2. Incentive Pay Option for Teachers: Rep. Ronny Johns (R-Ada), Sen. Adam Pugh (R-Edmond) Joint Study. “Explore the potential implementation of an incentive pay structure for teachers, with a particular focus on models that include an opt-in component. The study would examine how voluntary participation might impact teacher recruitment, retention and performance, as well as the overall effectiveness and fairness of such programs. We also aim to evaluate existing incentive pay models in other states and identify best practices that could be tailored to meet the unique needs of Oklahoma’s public education system.”
3. Teacher Recruitment and Retention: What is actually happening in the State of Oklahoma: Rep. Toni Hasenback (R-Elgin). “A look at teacher recruitment and retention efforts and outcomes on the State of Oklahoma.”
4. Charter Schools Facility Funding and Authorization: Rep. Rob Hall (R-Tulsa). “One obstacle to charter school proliferation and success in Oklahoma is securing adequate facilities. This study will explore steps we could take as the legislature to help address those issues, including credit enhancement programs, matching funds for facilities, dedicated funding or grants, tax-exempt bonds, access to public space and other possible solutions. This study will also evaluate the process by which charter schools are authorized in Oklahoma.”

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